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"And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning." (John 15:27, NIV).

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Have you ever felt that your life is good, you enjoy life, feel comfortable, and get along well with anyone until you talk about Jesus Christ? Things go weird, and people start to leave you or seem uninterested. In some extreme cases, you face confrontations, even hatred, leaving you feeling awful or even afraid of having that conversation. You should not. Because Jesus has told us about this.

There is so much to learn from this passage (John 15:18-27). I might not cover all, just a few verses as it is so deep already. Verse 18 and 19 of our passage today state a reminder Jesus gives us: "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." Some people think that Jesus and His teaching are not relevant anymore because it's their lives and their decisions. We are not to bother them with proclaiming the Good News. But it's the message of Love that we bring about Jesus Christ. When we do things our own ways, in the end, there is no peace we find.

Although it is a modern developed country, WHO reported South Korea with the fourth-highest suicide rate in the world (https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/suicide-rate-by-country). Japan, another modern developed country, has been identified for its significant suicide cases per year. It is not in the Top 10, but surely need to be concerned. For the last 8 years in Japan, the highest suicide rate was in 2022 with 21,881 cases (https://www.statista.com/statistics/622065/japan-suicide-number/). In these countries, which are very independent (they develop their own technology and tools and do not depend on the Western countries' products), it is easy to think that we do not need others let alone God. They survive by themselves. But it's sad to see the reality.

So we might think that just because our country does not belong to the list in the sources above, it means everything is okay. We remember Jesus' parable of a farmer who went out to sow the seed, which is the Word of God. One of it was sown among thorns, which are life's worries, riches, and pleasure, but it gets choked and cannot grow (Luke 8:14). This is very important. If we do not hold the Word of God close to our heart, if we love the world more than God, we get swept away easily and never realize how far we have fallen away from God. Until it kills our faith. 

I read a story a long time ago from John Piper's ministry web, about an evangelist couple from a country in the Middle East (their identities were covered) who went out every day to share the gospel and had to face persecution if they were caught. Every day they prayed and said goodbye to each other in case that was their last meeting. Until their situation was heard in the US, and they were transferred to live a new life in the US. Things were different. There was no persecution, and their life was way more comfortable than the old one. Until one day, the wife was crying and talking to her husband. She pleaded with him to go back to their old place, as she felt her faith was gradually dying. She missed the challenges they had to face before. It might be dangerous, but she felt the power and love of God so close to her. The husband agreed, the couple then went back to their own country. They surely do not belong to the world. This is a good lesson for us, the comfort of life, the riches, and pleasure of the world are very dangerous - the silent enemy that we often are not aware of can part us away from God slowly.

In verse 25, Jesus tells us that the world hated Him without reason. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth who goes out of the Father to testify about Him. In verse 27, Jesus says, "And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning." For us who have been living with Jesus, who have tasted the goodness and sweetness of Him, He wants us to testify about Him to the world; despite any obstacles, hatred, awkwardness, etc. Because we are facing the dark power of this world who does not want people to be awakened to how great and loving Jesus Christ is. But we are to spread Hope from God. "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33). Go and testify. 

May the power and love of Jesus Christ strengthen us all. Amen.

Reflection on John 15:18-27 by Desire Litaay.

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